Typewriting machine



c. B. CORCORAN.

TYPEWRITING MACHINE. APPLlC/HION FILED JULY 13,1920.

Patented 001;. 31, 1922.

Patented Got. 31, 192.2.

NrrzEDs STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORNELIUS B. CORCORAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO UNDERVJOOD TYPE- WRITEB, COMlANY, 0F NEVJ YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 013 DELAWARE.

ryrnwn rine MACHINE.

Application fiiea J iy 13,

.To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, Continues B. ConconAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in borough of the Bronx, in the county of the Bronx, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in 'lypiewriting lvlachines, of which the following is a specificationj This invention relates to type'writing machines, and is herein disclosed as applied to an Underwood portable typewriting machine, and as adapted to enable its carriage to be more readily located to lit in the. usual case. In such and some other key-operated machines, the carriage is adapted to occupy different positions transverse to the frame of the machine,-with the result that when the usual compact cover is put over the base upon which the machine is mounted, the carriage is likely to be so positioned as to obstruct the closing of the cover.

The present invention providesa device whereby the carriage may be satisfactorily located by the typist, and most of the trouble usually inherent in putting on the cover may be avoided. The device may take the form of a finger-piece or lever, pivoted upon the frame of the typewriting machine and adapted to fit more or less loosely between the body of the typewriter carriage and the platen finger-wheel.

The necessity of accurately aligning the linger-piece with relation to the usual es capement device isavoided by providing a loose fitting or lost motion between one or both sides ofthe centering device and the parts with which it co-operates.

Other features and advantages will herefnafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of an Underwood portable typewriting machine, showing the present invention as applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same, showing a modification, and part of the casing in section.

Figure?) is a diagrammatic front view, partly in section, of the parts seen in Figure 2.

In the Underwood portable typewriting machine, the carriage 1 comprises a platen 2, journaled therein by its axle 3, which passes through an end-plate 4 of the car- 1920. Serial No 395,960.

riage. The carriage is adapted to be fed along by the'usual escapement mechanism (not shown) at the actuation ofthe usual keys 5 In said machine, the carriage itself travels upon a shift-frame 6, upon which it is supported by rollers 7, running in rails 8. The platen 2 is adapted to be rotated by the usual line-space mechanism, not shown, and by the finger-wheel 9, which is fast to an extension 10 of the axle 3, being provided with an enlarged hub 11 by which it en gages the axle.

'The main frame 12 of the typewriting machine is usually mounted on a base 13, to which it is held by screws 14 passing through lugs 15, and threaded into metal base plates 16. There is usually also provided for such machines a cover having a top 17 and sides 18, the sides adapted to hang over and come substantially down to the bottom of the base 13. i

Usually there is a provision for lost mo tion at 19 between the cover sides 18 and the base 13, and the cover is provided with a cushion or buffer 20, against which the finger-wheel 9 is adapted to hear when the cover is applied. The lost motion provided at 19 avoids the necessity of extremely accurate construction of. the cover in relation to the positioning of the machine on the base 13. I t

In order to properly center the carriage 1 before putting the cover top 17, 18 upon the base 13, there may be pivoted at 21 upon the frame 12 a finger-piece or carriage-locking'lever 22 having an upper extension bent over flat and forming a'fingerhold 23, which is adapted to be swung between the carriage end-plate 4 andthe carriage part or finger-wheel 9, and to leave lost motion between the end-plate 4 and the l The lever 22 stands in front of the platen 2, with the result that the typist is usually able to see when the carriage 1 is properly centered, and then, by the typist pushing upon the finger-hold 23, the lever 22 is carried rearwardly so that the bent-over, flat which may be held by screws 26 to the inner lip 27 fast to the frame 12, and have a turned-up outer leg forming an outside face 27 against which the lever 22 lies. To steady the lever 22, it may be provided with an opening or notch 28, which is adapted to catch under a headed lug 29 fast upon the face 27, thus supporting and giving steadiness to the lever 22 when effective, so as to prevent it yielding or bending laterally away from the bracket face 27*.

In order to prevent the lever 22 from turning too easily, there may be interposed between it and the head 30 of its pivot a disk-spring 31, which gives the desired frietion. To limit the throw of the lever 22, it may be prolonged in a lug 32 having a turned-over end 33, adapted to catch under the bottom of the bracket 25 in the forward and rearward positions of the lever 22.

It will be observed that the finger-hold 23 is near the usual carriage-release lever 34, thus facilitating the operation of centering the carriage 1, since, with one hand, the typist may actuate the release lever, and, with another finger of the same hand, may move the lever 22 to its effecti e, Figure 1, position. The lever 22 may be provided with an extension forming a hook 35, which is adapted to fit upon thehub 11 over a considerable area, thus min1m1z1ng the liability of marring the hub, and holding the platen down against case-shaft movement. a

The modified lever shown in Figure 2 comprises a rib or web 36, which may form a continuation of the turned-over fingerhold 23, and which extends substantially down as far as the pivot 21, thus usually rendering unnecessary the strengthening lug 29, which is shown in Flgure 1. This enables a bracket 37, considerably smaller than the bracket 25, to be used. It has also been found that a single lug 32 is satisfactory for the lever shown in Figure 2.

It will be observed that the lever 22 and I bracket 25 each may be formed of a single stamped part, which may be of light metal, and add a negligible amount of weight to the machine. hen swung forward to the dotted-line position of Figure 1, the lever is out of the way andinconspicuous. In order to properly center the carriage, the lever is offset by an outward bend at 89.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

l'laving thus described my invention, I

2 claim 1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a frame, of a traveling cartion, be swung between said end plate and said part to lock the carriage against traveling movement in either direction.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a frame and a traveling carriage, having a platen journaled therein, of an end plate forming part of the carriage, a platen finger-wheel near said end plate and at a fixed distance therefrom, and a. lever pivoted upon the frame, .so that it may, when the carriage is in centered position, be swung between said plate and said finger-wheel to lock the carriage against traveling movement in either direction.

3. The combination of a base, a typewriting machine frame, a carriage mounted to travel on said frame, a cover to cooperate with said base, an end plate and an adjacent part at a fixed distance therefrom forming parts of said carriage, and a lever pivoted on the frame, so that it may, when the carriage is centered, be swung between the plate and said part to hold the carriage against traveling movement in either direction to permit the cover to be fitted on the base.

al. An attachment for a typewriting machine having a frame, a traveling carriage comprising an end member, a platen, a platen axle j ournaled in said end member, and a finger-wheel on said axle at a fixed distance from aid end member, said attachment comprising a flat bracket to be held against the side of said frame and having a flange to engage the lower edge of the side of the frame, and a lever having its upper end shaped to fit loosely between said end mem her and said finger-wheel, said lever being pivoted near its lower end on said bracket, so that its upper end may, when the carriage is centered, be swung between said end member and said. finger-wheel.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a frame, of an L-shaped bracket adapted to fit the frame and having one leg of the L secured thereto, a carriage adapted to travel on the frame, and a lever pivoted on the other leg of the bracket and adapted to engage the carriage to center it.

6. An attachment for a typewriting machine having a frame, a traveling carriage comprising an end member, a platen, a platen axle ournaled in said end member, and a finger-wheel on said axle at a fixed distance from said end member, said attachment comprising a flat bracket to be held against the side of said frame and having a flange to engage the lower edge of the side of the frame, a lever having its upper end shaped to fit loosely between said end member and said-finger-wheel, said lever being pivoted near its lower end on said bracket, so that its upper end may, when the carriage is centered, be swung between said end member t ne and having a flange to engage the lower edge of the side of the frame, a lever having its upper end shaped to fit loosely between said end member and said finger xx heel, said lever being pivoted near its lower end on said bracket, so that its upper end may, when the carriage is centered, be swung between said end member and said fingerwheel, and means on the upper end of the fiat bracket to co-operate with said lever an hold it close to the bracket.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combina tion with a frame having a lip, of a bracket having a turned-over end adapted to fit said lip and held thereto, a carriage adapted to travel on the frame, a lever pivoted on the bracket and adapted to engage the carriage to center it, a platen forming part of said carriage, an end plate forming part of the carriage, and a finger-wheel for said platen, said fingeravheel and plate forming parts of the carriage between which the lever e11- gages with lost motion.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a frame having a lip, of a bracket having a turned-over end adapted to fit said lip and held thereto, a carriage adapted to travel on the frame, a leverpivoted on the bracket and adapted to engage the carriage to centerit, and a lug on said bracket adapted to be engaged by said lever in its effective position to hold the lever.

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a frame, of a lever pivoted to said frame, a carriage traveling upon the frame, a platen axle in said carriage, an abutment-forming part on the platen axle, and an extension on said lever adapted to engage said abutment-forming part on the platen axle to hold. the carriage against endwise movement, said extension forming a finger-hold to enable said lever to be manipulated.

ll. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a frame, of a lever pivoted to said frame, a carriage traveling upon the frame, a platen axle in said carriage and shiftable vertically to shift the case, and an extension on said leveradapted to engage the platen axle to hold the platen against caseshift movement.

12. The combination with a typewriting machine, of a casing therefor comprising a base, a cover adapted to fit over said machine and base, forming part of the casing and having lost motion between its sides and the base, a carriage forming part of said machine, said carriage having spaced abutment-forming parts and comprising a platen adapted to be shifted transversely to shift the case, an axle for said platen, and a lever pivoted upon the machine to swing transversely of the carriage to engage the axle to prevent case-shift movement of the platen and to lie between said abutment-forming parts of the carriage, to center the carriage to permit the cover to fit over the machine and base.

13. ilhe combination with a typewriting machine, of a casing therefor comprising a base, a cover adapted to fit over said machine and base, forming part of the casing and having lost motion between its sides and the base, a carriage forming part of the machine, a platen in said carriage having an axle and shiftable transversely to shift the case, an end plate in the carriage forming a journal for said axle, a finger-wheel for the platen upon said axle, and a lever pivoted upon the machine and adapted to be swung to engage the axle between the plate and finger-wheel, to engage and hold the platen against endwise movement and shifting movement.

14. An attachment for a typewriting machine having a frame, a traveling carriage comprising an end member, a platen, a platen axle journaled in said end member, and a finger-wheel on said axle at a fixed distance from said end member, said attachment comprising a flat bracket to be held against the side of said'frame and having a flange to engage the lower edge of the side of the frame, and a lever having a hooked upper end. to engage said axle to prevent case-shift movement of the platen, said upper end being of such a width as to fit loosely between said end member and said fingerwheel, said lever being pivoted near its lower end on said bracket, so that its upper end may, when the carriage is centered, be swung between said end member and said fingerwheel.

15. In a typewriting machine having a frame, a carriage to travel on the frame, and a platen on the carriage and having case-shift movement; the combination of a locking device settable when the carriage is at a substantially central position on the frame to prevent both case-shift movement of the platen and traveling movement of the carriage.

16. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a frame, of a carriage to travel on the frame, a revoluble platen, an axle therefor mounted in. the carriage and having case-shift movement, and a locking device settable on the frame to engage said axle to hold the platen against ease-shift ing device eetta ble to prevent case-shift movement. movement of the carriage and platen.

17 In atypewriting machine, the combi- 1 M n 10 d I natlon Wltll ei'rame of a carnage to travel Cd m g LVRQORAA' on the frame and have case-sh1ft movement fitnesses: thereon a platen on the carnage to have EDITH B. LIBBEY,

case-shift movement therewith, and a lock- CATHERINE A. NEWELL. 

